Archive for the ‘Upma’ Category

In earlier times, clean and sorted rice was not available. People used to clean it at home. While cleaning, sorting was also being done to separate the pieces(called paam) from the full size. While the full size rice was used for making plain rice, the pieces called ‘paam’ was used to prepare upma or for making dosa/idli, etc. The preparation of upma using paam is given below.

Ingredients:

paam(rice rawa)-200gms,

coconut scrapings-1 cup,

red chillies-4(cut into pieces)

ginger-1″ piece, skinned and chopped(optional),

urid dal-2tsps,

mustard seeds-1tsp,

oil-1tbsp,

salt to taste and

curry leaves.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds.

Add to it, urid dal, fry a little and add chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.

Add 5 cups of water and salt to the above fried mix and bring it to a boil.

This item can be made as a vegetable upma, by adding vegetables(cut into small pieces) like potato, carrots, beans, cauliflower, green peas, etc.

Onions(finely chopped) adds to the taste and flavour.

Wash and cut the vegetables to very small pieces.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions to golden brown shade.

Add the cut vegetables and cook on a low flame, closing the pan with a lid.

When done, add this to the plain upma. Mix well.

The vegetable upma is ready.

Note:

1)It will be better to cook the onion and vegetables and keep it ready so that when the Upma is almost done, the veg.+onion mix can be added to the upma and mix well and then add the coconut scrapings and cook for another 2mts.

This is a common breakfast item in almost all homes in South India. This is especially an excellent instant dish which can be prepared whenever unexpected guests arrive. A good side dish for upma is the kukka(potato) humman along with the coconut chutney.

Add water and when it boils, add the salt and stir. Turn the flame to a low and then add the rawa very slowly while continuously stirring it.

Once the rawa is completely added, turn off the flame, add 2tsps of cow’s ghee and thoroughly mix it. Ghee imparts an excellent flavour to the upma.

Upma is ready. Close it with a lid. It can be served after 5 mts.

NOTE: Continuous stirring while adding rawa is very important, as otherwise there is every likelihood of formation of lumps without much cooking.

Optional:

Vegetables such as green peas, carrots, beans, potatoes and onions, cut into small pieces, can be added to enhance the taste and nutrition value. The vegetables should be added after the cashew nuts and urid dal turn brown. Allow the vegetables to get cooked, before adding the water

Though the white rawa upma is common in all states of India, konkanis prefer to prepare the upma with the wheat rawa(Dalia) as it is more nutritious and tasty. These days, as most people go for the whole wheat preparations including the bread used in breakfast, use of whole wheat rawa for making upma will give a much more wholesome and nutritious breakfast, especially to young kids. Addition of a few sauted cashewnuts and a spoon of cow’s ghee will greatly enhance its taste and flavour.